IRM.Net Online Booking Engine

RDP reservation software is designed to provide last room availability from a variety of channels simultaneously as illustrated by the diagram below. This page describes how to integrate the IRM.Net booking engine with your marketing website.

RDP provides the Internet Reservation Module (IRM) booking engine which integrates with your marketing website. Simply add a link from your marketing website, such as “Make Reservation Now”, which then links to IRM.Net. IRM.Net displays rates and availability, collects the guest information, processes the credit card, makes the reservation and e-mails a confirmation.

IRM.Net integration is accomplished through themes and styles. Any part of the IRM can be altered to with the look and feel of your marketing site. It will appear to the guest as the same web site. Any good web designer will be able to change the IRM.Net template. There is no programming involved.

The RDP API (Application Program Interface) provides direct access to all the functionality of the IRM.Net in accessing your RDP data using Microsoft’s Web Services. Designed for a qualified web programmer, the API can replace the entire IRM.Net user interface, so that none of the IRM.Net pages ever show. Styling the IRM.Net is not necessary since all the work is done on the marketing web site. However, the process of programming the user interface can be expensive in terms of programming hours.

For customers that want to access RDP Data for part of the reservation process and show it on the marketing site, but let IRM.Net handle the entry of guest data, credit card processing and making the reservation, the hybrid approach works best. For example, the marketing site can provide a quick search to collect the arrival and departure dates, room type or room number and then pass that into the IRM.Net booking engine, which will complete the reservation.

For details on the various methods of integration of your marketing website to the RDP database please see:

RDP API Integration with the Marketing Website

Web programmers can integrate the marketing site with the RDP database through an the RDP API which uses Microsoft’s Web Services. For example, the website programmers can request availability from the API, which is then returned to the marketing website for display to the guest any form desired. The API can also display rates, room descriptions and more. The API integration is designed for web programmers.

Links can be added in various locations on the marketing website to display rates and availability or “Make Reservation Now”. The IRM.Net fetches the current rates and availability from the RDP database and displays them.

Step 3
Guest Books Directly into RDP

IRM.Net can be configured to take a credit card with or without a deposit. Reservations are stored immediately into the RDP database, just as if entered by a reservationist at the property. The guest can print a confirmation using their browser. An e-mail confirmation is automatically sent to the guest and someone at your property.

Commission-Free Reservations 24 Hours a Day, 365 Days a Year

All reservations made via the IRM.Net are completely commission free. No commissions to RDP or any other entity. Think of IRM.Net as a reservations department that works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for free! With IRM.Net, many guests can check availability simultaneously at any time of day or night. There are never any busy signals or situations where a call back is required. RDP has now installed hundreds of IRM.Nets, and almost all of our customers are amazed that they can close their reservations department at night and return in the morning to find new reservations.

Direct Access for Guests, Owners, Travel Agents, Groups & Wholesalers

The IRM.Net in conjunction with the marketing website can be used by guests, owners, travel agents, groups and wholesalers simultaneously to check rates and availability and make reservations. When the IRM.Net is used to check availability and book reservations, several advantages are seen over hospitality booking websites:

No commissions or transaction fees (15-25% savings).

The reservation entered is immediately placed into the RDP database. There is no manual input required.

A separate room block is not used, allowing for last room availability.

There is no risk that the guest will see one of your competitors.

Please use the links below for more information about direct Internet access using the IRM.Net:

Other Internet Booking Websites and the Global Distribution System (GDS)

IRM.Net is designed to work with, not replace, other Internet booking websites, such as Expedia. At RDP we believe in the following approach to Internet reservations:

Sign up for a GDS provider and use RDP’s two way interface to capture the first visit to your property. After the first visit, have the guest use the IRM.Net for subsequent visits so no GDS commissions are paid.

The diagram below shows how GDS powered websites, guests, owners, travel agents, and groups can all make reservations simultaneously on the Internet.

Multiple Reservations on IRM.Net

The IRM.Net Multiple Reservations Module allows guests to reserve more than one room at time. The guest can select the number of rooms to reserve with the ability to book them together using the same contact details and credit card. This feature is easy to enable and configure, and provides a better online booking experience for your guests. Multiple Reservations are available for both group and non-group reservations.

Features for Vacation Rental and Condo-Hotel Owners

The goal of the IRM.Net Owner access is to identify all requests from owners that generate calls to management and move these functions to the Internet. Owner Internet access capabilities include:

Owner Internet Access Capabilities

The Average RDP Customer Generates over $200,000/year in Internet Bookings

The IRM.Net generated $200,000 per year for most of the RDP customers. The number of reservations made via electronic distribution channels continues to increase. Currently, 20% of all reservations are made through the Internet and this percentage increases every year. With 20% or more of reservations via the Internet, imagine the implications of your property not being connected. A guest may find you and your competitors websites, but if the potential guest cannot book your property on-line, a reservation will be made at your competitor’s property.

Automatic E-mail Confirmations in PDF Format

The IRM.Net automatically sends e-mails to all guests, owners, travel agents, and groups who make reservations. You have complete control over the text, fonts, pictures, and graphics that appear on the confirmation, which can be sent to the guest in Adobe format or other formats.

Improve the Visibility of Your Marketing Website

Since the IRM.Net does not have any associated booking fees, it makes sense to drive as many potential guests as possible to your marketing website to make reservations. A few possible ways to increase website traffic are presented below:

Encourage repeat guests
to book direct
with the IRM.Net

Customers should encourage repeat guests to book directly.

Put the URL of your marketing website on all materials given to the guest

Use direct e-mail to offer special deals and programs to past guests. Mass e-mail capabilities are included with the RDP System that link directly to your marketing/IRM.Net website.

Some RDP customers offer a lower Internet-only rate. The cost savings of the fully automated IRM.Net versus a phone call to a reservationist can more than make up the difference in price. There are never busy signals with the IRM.Net and it is open 24 hours a day.

Improve Website Search position in Google, Yahoo, etc.

One of the keys to increasing the number of Internet reservations is to improve the visibility of your marketing website. Some ideas:

Hire an Internet expert to improve your marketing website’s natural location in search engines. Natural location refers to the non-paid search order. The tricks to improving natural placement change often and must be revisited.

Move marketing dollars from traditional advertising, such as newspaper and magazine, to pay-per-click in Google, Yahoo, etc.

Use cross-listing with as many other websites as possible such as your local Chamber of Commerce.

IRM.Net Security – SSL Certificate (Secure Socket Layer)

Security is an important concern for anyone using the Internet. The IRM.Net is fully PCI compliant. It uses SSL technology to encrypt the web pages and also internal database encryption for critical data, such as the guest’s credit card number. For more information please see Installation of Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Certificate.

Translate the IRM.Net into Other Languages

The IRM.Net can be translated into multiple different languages using a free translator tool from Google or Microsoft. The IRM.Net pages are translated into the Internet guest’s native language to help increase online bookings. If a guest can read the website material in their native language, they will remain on site longer and are more likely to book a reservation. The translator can be configured to automatically display the translation toolbar at the top of the page when a guest’s browser is not in English. Guests will also have the option to click “Translate” at any time. Please note that the translator is a tool provided by Google or Microsoft, and RDP does not dictate how either work.

Search Preferences

The IRM.Net has the ability to allow guests to select certain search criteria or preferences when looking for available rooms. For example, the guest can request a three bedroom non-smoking room with a jacuzzi that is located in Vail Village, and the IRM.Net will return only the rooms that meet their specified criteria. Each preference can also be configured to use greater than or less than operators, such as displaying all units that are greater than three bedrooms. See the Sample Screens below for guest preference examples.

***Special Feature for Campgrounds*** The IRM.Net can be configured to search for availability using an “in” operator, which looks for units that have part or all of a value of a preference that a guest may enter. For example, a specific camp site may have an electrical hookup to accommodate 20 amps, 30 amps and 50 amps. The guests selects the amps applicable to what they are looking such as 30 amps. The IRM.Net will filter camp sites based on if the value of “30” amps is anywhere “in” that preference.

Advance Purchase and Rate Plan Cutoff Tiers

Advance Purchase Rates can be configured to specify the number of days in advance of the guest’s arrival that a discount is applicable. This feature encourages guests to plan ahead and help properties reach early occupancy goals. For example, if a guest books 60 days in advance, the discount is 20%. If booked 30 days in advance, the discount is 10% off. Waiting until 14 days prior to arrival, they may only receive a 5% discount or no discount at all. The IRM.Net automatically hides rates that do not meet the advance date requirements.

Similar to Advance Purchase Rates are Rate Plan Cutoff Tiers, which are configured to turn on and off rates based on occupancy percentage. For example, a 20% discount can be offered to guests if the property is less than 50% occupied. Once 51% occupancy is reached that rate discount is cutoff, but a 10% discount is available instead. Once the property is 80% full, no more discounts are available. This feature can help maximize occupancy and revenue.

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